Religious and pilgrims in Jerusalem on Sept. 14 participated in the celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. The feast has its origin in Jerusalem itself and is related to the finding of the true cross by St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine, and especially to the construction and dedication of the buildings erected by the emperor himself to protect and honor the places where Jesus Christ brought to completion his Paschal Mystery of death and resurrection. The celebration was presided over by Brother Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land. In addition to the Franciscan community, religious from other Christian communities present in Jerusalem were also present. A solemn and moving moment of the celebration was the procession with the relic of the Holy Cross from Calvary to the Magdalene Chapel where the faithful paid homage to the Cross of Christ, the hope of those who believe in Him. JOÃO DIMAS PUQUEVICZ St. Pius Tur It is a wonderful and inexplicable moment. This is the fourth time we are here with a group on this very feast. And every year it is like the first time. It is the renewal of Jesus' love for us. Br IBRAHIM FALTAS, ofm Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a great feast for all. It is celebrated at Calvary very close to the empty tomb. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a great feast for everyone. Here we remember the pain but also the glory of the resurrection.And today we remember that there are so many crosses in our existence. We also remember the suffering of wars. There are so many wars going on all over the world. And even here, there are silent persecutions, such as those that have taken place in our shrines: at the Flagellation, at Mary's tomb, at the Stella Maris shrine. We also pray for our friars who are enduring very difficult situations like in Syria and Lebanon. Today we also prayed for the people of Morocco and Libya. But the message of this place is that Love will always win.